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ARCHIVE: AAdvantage Gold & Platinum Elite Status Challenges 2004 - 2011

ARCHIVE: AAdvantage Gold & Platinum Elite Status Challenges 2004 - 2011

 
Old Dec 14, 2009, 9:58 am
  #4126  
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA Explat, UA 1K
Posts: 389
I remember seeing this question being asked before but unfortunately I can't seem to find it.

How long does it usually take to receive the PLAT card in the mail after successfully finishing a challenge?

Thanks.

Last edited by skit53; Dec 14, 2009 at 10:30 am
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Old Dec 14, 2009, 11:05 am
  #4127  
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Texas
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 33
Got mine!

I've completed my challenge and I'm now PLT!

Mark
hobanma is offline  
Old Dec 14, 2009, 11:31 am
  #4128  
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: ORD, DEL
Programs: AA (Plt Pro; 1.5 MM)
Posts: 6,183
Originally Posted by skit53
How long does it usually take to receive the PLAT card in the mail after successfully finishing a challenge?
Takes a few weeks. However, you really don't need the card when dealing with AA or even most OW partners.

Mostly it is BA lounge receptionists who have the reputation of fussing about the card. If you are not passing through LHR in the next few weeks, you should be ok. Even if you are, try BA lounge anyway if you desire because other OW lounge are always there as backups.

Last edited by aktchi; Dec 14, 2009 at 11:39 am
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Old Dec 17, 2009, 12:25 pm
  #4129  
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Dallas,Texas
Programs: AA Plat, HH Diamond, SPG GLD, MR GLD
Posts: 277
Recognizing Status for Lounge Access mid-trip

I'll complete my Plat challenge on the first leg of my DFW-NRT-HKG-NRT-DFW next week. I'd like to use Plat status to get into the lounges @ NRT & HKG, but from previous threads on FT, I've learned that I should call AA and have them update my record with the new status. Is this still the standard MO in my situation?
dfwmusicman is offline  
Old Dec 17, 2009, 5:20 pm
  #4130  
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K, AA Plat, WN A-list, AS MVP 75K, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 379
Completed a challenge and made Platinum. Not sure what I'm going to do with it yet, but I've got it.

Something as simple as WN discontinuing non-stops to Chicago after 2PM from all 3 Bay Area airports had me shopping around. Routing to ChicagoxDEN/xLAS/xPHX/xLAX gets you nothing in the WN world, except make you two hours later. So I do the math...hmmm...another Chicago trip, work trips to MIA and JFK, throw a few SFO/SJC-LAX runs their way...shoot, I can do 10,000 points even on Q fares at 0.5 pt/mi. Piece of cake.

Anyway, 10 weeks of steady AA convinced me AA >> UA, that's for certain. They'll get some of my business. But to make to make EXP (or 1K) I'd have to do it on segments, and my bread-and-butter 30-40 LAX runs/year would be a lot harder on AA SFO-LAX (and mostly miserable on AA SJC-LAX) than WN.
bbison is offline  
Old Dec 19, 2009, 4:50 pm
  #4131  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Mid-Atlantic
Programs: AA Plat, UA Silver, DL Silver, Marriott Titanium, etc.
Posts: 4,210
I just spoke with an AAdvantage Representative about doing a challenge. She said all of the details she shared with me would be in an email she sent me, however some things she spoke of are missing from the email, and sent it in such a way that I cannot reply and request clarification on anything (not happy about that - although everything else has been good with the service about this and another issue I called about).

So I want to check here if the following seems correct:

She stated they would make me AAdvantage Gold immediately (meaning on the day I start the Platinum challenge). She said all of this would be in writing, however, this is missing from the email she sent me.

She also stated that I would have to pay $200 for the challenge (consistent with what I have read), but not until the day I start the challenge. (this info was also missing from the email.)

She also mentioned that they would call me back (to collect the fee I guess) at the time I said I want to start the challenge) - also not mentioned in the email.
GrizShel is offline  
Old Dec 19, 2009, 6:56 pm
  #4132  
Moderator: New York City and FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: AA PLT, Natl EC
Posts: 10,855
Originally Posted by GrizShel
She stated they would make me AAdvantage Gold immediately (meaning on the day I start the Platinum challenge). She said all of this would be in writing, however, this is missing from the email she sent me.
This has not been the case previously, but IIRC, someone else reported this recently as well, perhaps upthread. It could be that the protocols have changed, but they're still using the old email - compare what you received to what's in the wiki.
dstan is offline  
Old Dec 20, 2009, 1:34 am
  #4133  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: SIN/DFW
Programs: AA EXPLT, SQ PPS, MARRIOTT PLT, HILTON GLD, SPG PLT
Posts: 10
EXP Status after PLAT challenge

I am considering a PLAT challenge, however, did have a question on how that might affect EXP status attainment - if any.

Thanks.
Burney is offline  
Old Dec 20, 2009, 2:25 am
  #4134  
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: ORD, DEL
Programs: AA (Plt Pro; 1.5 MM)
Posts: 6,183
Originally Posted by Burney
I am considering a PLAT challenge, however, did have a question on how that might affect EXP status attainment - if any.
Welcome to FT! A Plat challenge won't affect the requirement of EXP in anyway. You would still need to earn the requisite number of 100K BIS miles/points or 100 segments. Of course, all flights during a calendar year would count, including any taken to meet the Plat challenge (successfully or not).

However, a successful Plat challenge will make later flying for EXP somewhat smoother: with reservations, seat selection, lounge access during international journeys, occasional upgrade during domestic ones, etc.
aktchi is offline  
Old Dec 21, 2009, 8:55 am
  #4135  
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: AA lifetime Gold, United Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Spire, Hertz Gold
Posts: 410
Status match from US Air

I have 100,000 EQMs with US Air, which puts me at Chairman's level (highest). I may head down to Peru on a $330 r/t a/i fare on AA from SFO this winter.

If so, I am thinking that it would be helpful to either do a challenge on AA (which doesn't seem to be offered right now), or at least get some sort of status match.

Any advice on this? How long does it typically take to get a status match? What would be the best way to approach it? What are my odds of success?

Thanks.
chrisphx is offline  
Old Dec 21, 2009, 8:58 am
  #4136  
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM; UA 1K; AA 1MM
Posts: 4,486
AA does not offer status matches, but does offer challenges (for a fee). More information is available in the FAQ: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...ere-first.html
ty97 is offline  
Old Dec 21, 2009, 8:59 am
  #4137  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: AA 1.5 MM Exec Plat, WN A-List, DL Silver, UA nonrev
Posts: 2,593
Unless your company has an arrangement with AA, or AA uses some other criteria besides you US Air status, I would not count on AA matching status. It offers the challenge instead.

Why do you say that "which doesn't seem to be offered right now?" It is not published on AA.com... you have to call to enroll.

The AA Wiki has information about the challenge. Good luck and happy/safe travels.
miamigrad is offline  
Old Dec 21, 2009, 9:48 am
  #4138  
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: AA lifetime Gold, United Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Spire, Hertz Gold
Posts: 410
Thank you for the information. Unfortunately, these are Q fares, which only count 50%, according to http://www.flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php/Challenge_(AA).

However, the round trip of SFO-MIA-LIM-MIA-SFO is 20,400 actual miles, so it appears that this one round trip could get me Platinum status. I have never done a challenge on any airline, but this may be my first.

Last edited by dstan; Dec 21, 2009 at 1:43 pm Reason: repaired broken link
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Old Dec 21, 2009, 9:53 am
  #4139  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: AA 1.5 MM Exec Plat, WN A-List, DL Silver, UA nonrev
Posts: 2,593
Originally Posted by chrisphx
Thank you for the information. Unfortunately, these are Q fares, which only count 50%, according to http://www.flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php/Challenge_(AA).

However, the round trip of SFO-MIA-LIM-MIA-SFO is 20,400 actual miles, so it appears that this one round trip could get me Platinum status. I have never done a challenge on any airline, but this may be my first.
I'm curious.... how are you arriving at 20,400 miles?
According to Great Circle Mapper, this looks like 10,387 miles. On a Q fare, you'd need to do that trip twice, or upfare to a bucket that earns 1.0 EQP/mile if you are going for the Platinum challenge.

Also, FYI: The link you provided has been corrected (put the closing parenthesis ")" within the /url)
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Old Dec 21, 2009, 9:55 am
  #4140  
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 314
Originally Posted by chrisphx
Thank you for the information. Unfortunately, these are Q fares, which only count 50%, according to http://www.flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php/Challenge_(AA).

However, the round trip of SFO-MIA-LIM-MIA-SFO is 20,400 actual miles, so it appears that this one round trip could get me Platinum status. I have never done a challenge on any airline, but this may be my first.
Unless I'm missing something, that routing is only about 10,500 miles, so where are you getting the 20,400?

And if your counting actual miles to qualify with AA instead of a Challenge using points, do you have other EQM with AA this year to cover the 40,000 miles that you would need to gain Platinum status?

I think you're confusing the points needed for the challenges as being interchangable with miles flown, and they aren't.

Again, I may have missed something here, but I think your calculations are off for this.
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